Generally described, a merchandiser such as an open front cooler may include a refrigerated open enclosure with a number of chilled products within the reach of a consumer. Because open front coolers offer such quick and easy accessibility and proximity to the chilled products therein, such coolers often spur impulse purchases by consumers. As a result, open front coolers may provide an increase in sales volume as compared to a conventional glass door merchandiser and the like having the same size and/or in similar locations. An open front cooler also may provide an increase in sales volume as compared to similar products stored at ambient temperatures on conventional product shelves or elsewhere.
One drawback with conventional open front coolers, however, is that the cooler may consume several times more energy as compared to a glass door merchandiser of the same size due to the lack of a door or other type of insulated front space to keep the cold air from escaping. The increased sales revenue generally provided by an open front cooler thus may not cover or justify the resulting increase in energy costs. Moreover, there is an ever increasing demand for energy efficient and “green” devices. Maintain a large inventory of cold products for an extended period of time may not be energy efficient.
There is thus a desire for an improved cooler, merchandiser, and the like that promotes impulse purchases with easy accessibility such as in an open front cooler but with the improved efficiency and the reduced energy costs of a glass door merchandiser, a chest cooler, and the like. The merchandiser thus may dispense a temperature controlled product upon receipt of an ambient product so as to limit the number of products to be cooled therein.